Breakdown of Antes de un examen importante me pongo nervioso, pero confío en lo que estudié.
yo
I
en
in
de
of
importante
important
Questions & Answers about Antes de un examen importante me pongo nervioso, pero confío en lo que estudié.
Why is there no yo before me pongo nervioso and confío?
In Spanish, subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, etc.) are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
- me pongo can only mean I become / I get (1st person singular), so yo is optional.
- confío also clearly means I trust / I have confidence.
You can say Yo me pongo nervioso, pero yo confío…, but it sounds heavier and is usually only used for emphasis (e.g., contrasting with someone else).
What does me pongo nervioso literally mean, and why use poner with me?
Literally, me pongo nervioso is “I put myself nervous”, but the natural meaning is “I get nervous” / “I become nervous.”
Examples:
- Me pongo triste = I get sad
- Me pongo contento = I get happy
- Me pongo rojo = I turn red
The me makes poner reflexive (ponerse), which is how Spanish expresses this kind of change in state.
When should I use ponerse vs estar with adjectives like nervioso?